Paper cap

ABSTRACT

A paper cap having an improved structure to prevent a skirt part from being deformed and the paper cap from being easily separated from a container is disclosed. The paper cap includes a circular plane part for covering an upper portion of a container and a skirt part extending downward from an edge of the plane part. The skirt part has a circumference groove fitted into a curling part of the paper cup and a ring-shaped reinforcing groove on which a plurality of uneven wrinkles are formed in a length direction and which is formed along the inner circumference surface at a position spaced apart from the circumference groove.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The invention relates to a paper cap, and more particularly, to a paper cap having an improved structure so as to prevent a skirt part from being deformed, to facilitate stacking and storing of the paper cap, and to prevent the paper cap from being easily separated from a container by improving a structure of the cap that is formed of paper.

2. Related Art

In general, along with the development of industrial economy, living culture has become complicated and has been diversified. Accordingly, various types of instant foods capable of saving time have been produced as products. Most instant foods are sold in disposable containers.

Such a disposable container is widely used not only for foods such as instant cup noodles but also for beverages such as take-out coffees. The disposable container is used together with a cap as necessary in order to prevent the content in the container from being spilled out of the container.

Meanwhile, a plastic material is mostly used as a material of the cap for the disposable container. When heat and pressure are applied to the cap that is formed of a plastic material, the cap is easily deformed into a desired shape. In addition, the cap is hardened at a low temperature so that the fonn of the cap may be kept for a long time. Thus, it is possible to mass-produce the cap using an injection machine.

However, it is difficult to dispose of the cap formed of a plastic material due to a non-biodegradable property of plastic. In addition, the cap formed of a plastic material exerts a bad influence on an environment. For this reason, in recent years, eco-friendly paper has been mainly used.

In addition, when the caps formed of a plastic material are transferred or stored in a stacked state, a large space is occupied for each cap, and thus the space utilization efficiency is decreased. On the other hand, paper caps may be stacked so that flexible lower portions thereof overlap each other, and thus space utilization efficiency is increased.

An example of such a paper cap is disclosed in “paper cap having improved compatibility” of Korean Patent No. 10-0568560. As shown in FIG. 1, the paper cap has a structure of a cap body 1 including a flange portion 20 that bends and extends in a vertical direction along a peripheral edge of a main body 10 having a circular planar shape, a crease groove 21 that is formed to be cut into small parts at regular intervals along the flange portion 20, and a detachment groove 11 that is formed along an internal corner portion at the junction of the flange portion 20 and the main body 10.

In the cap body 1, a plurality of curvature portions 3 having a curved shape are continuously formed along an outer circumference of the flange portion 20, and a plurality of reinforcing grooves 12 having different diameters are formed on the main body 10 so as to have a circular shape.

However, in a conventional paper cap, an end of a skirt part which is a lower part of the paper cap is easily deformed due to an impact from the outside. Thus, it is difficult to stack and store the paper caps, and the paper cap is aesthetically inferior. Moreover, a rolled curling part is formed in an upper edge of a disposable container, and a circumferential groove having a shape corresponding to the shape of the curling part is formed on the inner side of the paper cap. However, since the paper cap has a structure that is applied to simple coupling, the paper cap may be easily separated from a paper cup. When a hot beverage is contained in the disposable container, heat inside the container is not discharged to the outside due to the paper cap, and a user drinks the hot beverage even after the paper cap is opened, and thus the user may have a burn.

SUMMARY

The invention provides a paper cap having an improved structure so as to easily stack and store the paper caps and to provide the paper cap with aesthetically superior appearance by preventing a structure of a skirt part of the paper cap from being easily deformed.

The invention provides a paper cap having an improved structure so as to prevent the paper cup from being easily separated from a cup-shaped container.

The invention provides a paper cap having an improved structure so as to easily discharge heat to the outside when a hot beverage is contained in a container.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a paper cap that is coupled to a container provided with a rolled curling part in an upper end portion thereof. The paper cap includes a plane part that has a circular shape and covers an upper portion of the container; and a skirt part that extends downwards from an edge of the plane part. The skirt part, constituted by creases having a concavo-convex shape and continuously formed in a circumference direction, is provided with a circumferential groove into which the curling part is fitted, and a ring-shaped reinforcing groove that is formed to be separated from the circumferential groove and reinforces the creases.

Fitting holes facing each other and having a circular arc shape may be formed so that a lower portion of the curling part is fitted into the circumferential groove. A through hole may be punched in a lower portion of the circumferential groove adjacent to the fitting hole so that a burr is formed on the container side, which allows the burr to be locked in the lower portion of the curling part.

The skirt part may be provided with a heat dissipation hole that communicates with the inside of the container and a protrusion that is locked in the lower portion of the curling part.

In summary, a reinforcing groove and a plurality of creases are formed in a skirt part of a paper cap, and thus it is possible to reinforce strength of the paper cap and to prevent the paper cup from being deformed. In addition, a plurality of paper caps are stored by overlapping each other in a vertical direction when being stacked and stored, and thus it is possible to increase the space utilization efficiency. Moreover, a fitting hole, a burr, and a protrusion are fonned in the skirt part, and thus it is possible to prevent the paper cap from being easily separated from a cup-shaped container. A heat dissipation hole is formed in the skirt part so that heat from the content in a container is discharged to the outside even in a state where the paper cap is coupled to the container, and thus it is possible to prevent a safety accident such as a burn that may occur when a user drinks a hot beverage.

Several exemplary embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below to further describe the invention in details.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a paper cap of the related art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a paper cap according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of creases according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the paper cap according to the invention is coupled to a container.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a paper cap according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state where a fitting hole and a curling part according to the second embodiment of the invention are coupled to each other.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a use state according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a paper cap according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a use state according to the third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides a paper cap having an improved structure so as to prevent a skirt part from being deformed and to prevent the paper cap from being separated from a container by interference with a curling part of the container.

First Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a paper cap 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention includes a circular plane part 110 for covering an upper portion of a container 200 and a skirt part 120 that extends downwards from an edge of the plane part 110. The skirt part 120 includes a circumferential groove 121 into which a curling part 210 of the container 200 is fitted, and a ring-shaped reinforcing groove 122 that is provided with a plurality of creases having a concavo-convex shape in a longitudinal direction and is formed along an inner circumference at a position separated from the circumferential groove 121.

Here, the container 200 has a cup shape in which an upper portion thereof is opened.

In detail, the circumferential groove 121 has a structure in which a recess is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the skirt part 120 so as to correspond to the curling part 210 of the container 200 and in which the outer surface thereof is curved.

The creases are formed in a longitudinal direction of the skirt part 120, that is, in a vertical direction, a plurality of cuts 132 are formed in the outer circumferential surface of the skirt part 120 in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of reinforcement protrusions 134 protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the skirt part 120 in the longitudinal direction.

That is, the creases have a concave-convex shape by the plurality of cuts 132 and the reinforcement protrusions 134 that are respectively formed in the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface of the skirt part 120 in the longitudinal direction.

The reinforcing groove 122 is formed around the circumferential groove 121 and the skirt part 120 which extends downwards from the circumferential groove 121 so as to be curved along the outer circumferential surface of the skirt part 120, and the reinforcing groove 122 is used to reinforce the lower portion of the skirt part 120.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the reinforcing groove 122 may be formed in multiple numbers to be separated from each other in a vertical direction.

In the configuration according to the first embodiment of the invention, when the paper cap 100 is coupled to an upper portion of the container 200, the curling part 210 is fitted into the circumferential groove 121 of the skirt part 120, and the plane part 110 hermetically covers the upper portion of the container 200.

At this time, the skirt part 120 has a plurality of creases constituted by the cuts 132 formed in the outer circumferential surface of the skirt part 120 and the plurality of reinforcement protrusions 134 formed in the inner circumferential surface of the skirt part 120 in the form of a band. In addition, the reinforcing groove 122 is formed along the circumference of the skirt part 120, and thus it is possible to prevent the skirt part 120 from being defon⁻ned due to an external impact caused by strength reinforcement.

Further, the skirt part 120 may have a flexible structure so that the lower portion thereof may spread, and thus it is possible to stack the paper caps 100 so that the lower portions thereof overlap each other during the stacking and storing of the paper caps 100.

The paper cap 100 that has been completely assembled may prevent spilling of the content out of the container 200 and may prevent external foreign substances from entering the container 200.

Meanwhile, in a process of separating the container 200 and the paper cap 100 from each other, when a user desires to drink a beverage contained in the container 200, if the user grasps a portion of the lower portion of the skirt part 120 and lifts the portion upwards, the coupling state between the curling part 210 and the circumferential groove 121 is released, and the upper portion of the container 200 is opened.

Subsequently, the user may drink the content in the container 200 after separating the paper cap 100 from the upper portion of the container 200.

As described above, when the same paper caps 100 are stacked on each other in a vertical direction, the skirt parts 120 thereof overlap each other, and thus a space for stacking may be minimized.

Second Embodiment

In a second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to FIGS. 6A to 8, distinctive features of the second embodiment in addition to the features of the first embodiment are described as follows. A heat dissipation hole 126, communicating with the inside of the container 200, for dissipating heat from the container 200 is formed in the upper portion of the skirt part 120. Fitting holes 121 a facing each other and having a circular arc shape are formed in portions of the circumferential groove 121 so that a lower portion of the curling part 210 is fitted into the fitting holes 121 a. A through hole 125 is punched in a lower portion of the circumferential groove 121 which is adjacent to one of the fitting holes 121 a so that a burr 125 a may be formed toward the container 200.

The through hole 125 may be formed in multiple numbers in the lower portion of the circumferential groove 121 so as to be separated from each other.

The burr 125 a is formed at the time of punching the through hole 125. The burr 125 a protrudes toward the inside of the skirt part 120 from an inner edge of the through hole 125 so as to be locked in the lower portion of the curling part 210.

The fitting holes 121 a are formed at the opposite sides of the circumferential groove 121, respectively, and have a circular arc shape so that the lower edge portions thereof interfere with the lower portion of the curling part 210.

In the second embodiment of the invention, when the paper cap 100 is coupled to the upper portion of the container 200, the lower portion of the curling part 210 is fitted into the lower edges of the fitting holes 121 a so as to interfere with each other. In addition, the burr 125 a generated at the time of punching the through hole 125 comes into contact with the lower portion of the curling part 210, and thus it is possible to prevent the paper cap 100 from being easily separated from the upper portion of the container 200.

That is, after the paper cap 100 is coupled to the container 200, the lower portion of the curling part 210 interfere with the lower edges of the fitting holes 121 a, and the burr 125 a interferes with the lower portion of the curling part 210. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the paper cap 100 from being easily separated from the container 200.

However, when a user grasps the paper cap 100 and then lifts the paper cap 100 upwards using a force exceeding an interference force between the fitting hole 121 a and the burr 125 a, the paper cap 100 may be separated from the upper portion of the container 200.

In the second embodiment of the invention, since the heat dissipation hole 126 is formed in the upper portion of the skirt part 120, when a hot content is contained in the container 200, heat from the content is discharged to the outside through the heat dissipation hole 126, and thus a user may rapidly cool and drink the hot content.

Third Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, distinctive features of a third embodiment in addition to the features of the first embodiment are described as follows. The heat dissipation hole 126, communicating with the inside of the container 200, for dissipating heat from the container 200 is formed in the upper portion of the skirt part 120. A plurality of protrusions 124 locked in a lower portion of the curling part 210 are formed in the skirt part 120.

Based on characteristics of a paper material, an outer surface of the protrusion 124 is processed in the form of a groove at the time of a press work, and the protrusion 124 is deformed and processed so as to protrude inwards.

In addition, the protrusion 124 may have a wedge shape in which an end of the protrusion 124 becomes narrower inwards so as to facilitate the press work, but the shape of the protrusion is not limited thereto.

In the third embodiment of the invention, when the paper cap 100 is coupled to the upper portion of the container 200, a top surface of the protrusion 124 comes into contact with the lower portion of the curling part 210, and thus it is possible to prevent the paper cap 100 from being easily separated from the upper portion of the container 200.

However, when a user grasps the paper cap 100 and then lifts the paper cap 100 upwards using a force exceeding an interference force between the protrusion 124 and the lower portion of the curling part 210, the paper cap 100 may be separated from the upper portion of the container 200.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A paper cap coupled to a container provided with a rolled curling part in an upper end portion of the container, the paper cap comprising: a plane part having a circular shape and covers an upper portion of the container; and a skirt part extending downwards from an edge of the plane part, wherein the skirt part, constituted by creases having a concavo-convex shape and continuously formed in a circumference direction, comprises a circumferential groove into which the curling part is fitted, and a ring-shaped reinforcing groove that is formed to be separated from the circumferential groove and reinforces the creases.
 2. The paper cap of claim 1, wherein fitting holes facing each other and having a circular arc shape are formed so that a lower portion of the curling part is fitted into the circumferential groove, and wherein a through hole is punched in a lower portion of the circumferential groove adjacent to the fitting hole so that a burr is formed toward the container, which allows the burr to be locked in the lower portion of the curling part.
 3. The paper cap of claim 1, wherein the skirt part is provided with a heat dissipation hole that communicates with the inside of the container and a protrusion that is locked in the lower portion of the curling part.
 4. The paper cap of claim 2, wherein the skirt part is provided with a heat dissipation hole that communicates with the inside of the container and a protrusion that is locked in the lower portion of the curling part. 